Colombia named Global MOU co-lead as momentum builds for coordinated global transport decarbonization & resilience solutions
LEIPZIG, Germany — A new green corridor aimed at supporting zero-emission transportation in Spain, Southern France, and beyond was announced today as a part of the Global Green Road Corridor Initiative(GGRC). In addition, two new countries—one in the Global South and one in Europe—are now part of a group of 40 national signatories aiming for 100% new zero-emission truck and bus sales by 2040. The joint announcement was made today by CALSTART’s Drive to Zero and the Netherlands at the International Transport Forum 2025 Summit in Leipzig.
The Mediterranean Corridor, starting in Spain, will run 1,000 km from Algeciras to Avignon in phase one. Led by Iberdrola and developed in collaboration with key private partners, including logistics operators like Disfrimur and Primafrío and charging providers such as bp pulse, it is home to the first public MCS (Megawatt Charging System) charger for heavy electric vehicles in Southern Europe. This corridor is one of 12 in various stages within the GGRC initiative in development in Africa, Europe, the Americas, and Asia. This initiative isdecarbonizing the corridors medium- and heavy-duty vehicles use to move people and the world’s goods from ports to hubs to cities around the globe each day.
“The Mediterranean Corridor, led by Iberdrola, is the first private corridor to be included in the initiative. It is deploying charging infrastructure along the Mediterranean Corridor, the longest in Europe, and serving as a foundation for future public-private partnerships. These partnerships are essential to creating a resilient energy and transport system,” said Isabel Gómez Bernal, Senior Analyst on Transport and Energy at Iberdrola.
Montenegro and Peru were announced today as new signatories of the Global Memorandum of Understanding on Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles (Global MOU), a fast-growing coordinated effort for countries to reach 100% new zero-emission truck and bus sales by 2040 and at least 30% new sales by 2030 to facilitate achievement of net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. The Global MOU now includes 40 total signatories, 20 European signatories like the United Kingdom and Ukraine, as well as Canada, Turkey, Chile, Ethiopia, New Zealand and many others. Signatories represent roughly 40% of world’s GDP and 21 percent of the medium- and heavy-duty vehicle sales market globally.
Countries today noted that in a moment of overlapping global crises—energy price shocks, geopolitical instability, and climate disruption—zero-emission freight is not just a climate solution; it is a resilience solutionand a safer investment in the future. Today, as a part of the same announcement, Colombia was named as the new country co-lead of the Global MOU.
Together with CALSTART, the Netherlands launched the Global MOU at COP26 in Glasgow in 2021. Both have served as co-leads of this initiative since then. Today The Netherlands passes its country co-leadership role to Colombia, noting the critical role the Global South is playing in decarbonizing transport. CALSTART’s Drive to Zero looks forward to bringing the initiative to new heights and reaching the set goals.
“As the Netherlands, we are proud of what has been achieved through the Global MOU and thank CALSTART’s Drive to Zero team for the great collaboration over the past three and a half years,” said Kees van der Burg, Vice Minister for Mobility, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Netherlands. “With today’s announcement, we warmly welcome Colombia as the new country co-lead and we are looking forward to a new successful chapter. Additionally, we welcome Montenegro and Peru as new signatory countries that have been announced today.”
“We welcome Colombia to its new role and thank the Netherlands for its years-long leadership,” said Stephanie Kodish, Senior Global Director of CALSTART’s Drive to Zero. “Zero-emission trucks and buses are critical to ensuring economic and energy security, supporting industry competitiveness, growing well-paying jobs, and achieving climate and clean air goals in the face of growing global shocks and uncertainty. Strong policies, growing infrastructure, and innovative financial mechanisms are unlocking real-world zero-emission truck adoption at scale. We are moving together in the right direction—but we need to go faster.”
New data from ACEA, the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, confirms Kodish’s assessment of the fast-growing market. It shows in the face of growing global shocks, tariff wars, and energy market uncertainty, electric truck sales in Europe soared by 50.6% in Q1 2025, even as overall truck sales dipped. Zero-emission trucks now make up 3.5% of the market – a clear signal that fleet electrification is no longer a vision for the future, but a reality being driven by business today.
Further solidifying private sector and subnational government support for growing zero-emission freight, 35 new endorsers of the Global MOU were announced at today’s event including the Government of the Australian Capital Territory, EZVolt (Brazil), Mondo, Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA), and Reckitt. To view a full list of new endorsers and their statements, visit our website.
“The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is proud to be the first jurisdiction in Australia to sign the Global Memorandum of Understanding on Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles. The ACT has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2045,” said Geoffrey Rutledge, Deputy Director-General, ACT Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate. “The ACT’s energy transition is a significant economic opportunity, and the clean energy sector will see strong employment growth over the next 10 years. Alongside boosting zero-emission vehicle use in both commercial and private transport, we’re also investing in a skilled workforce to meet future needs and strengthen our economy. One key initiative is our Electric Vehicle Centre of Excellence—the first of its kind in Australia—which will offer advanced training for mechanics, technicians, and manufacturers working with both light and heavy vehicles.”
Transport accounts for 65 percent of ACT’s emissions, and the territory is home to Australia’s most ambitious transport decarbonization targets including a goal of having a fully zero-emission public bus fleet by 2040. The territory has already achieved 100 percent renewable electricity and aims for net zero by 2045. ACT urges other Australian states and territories to grow their zero-emission transport ambitions.
In all, the Global MOU is publicly and officially supported by more than 250 endorsing companies, organizations, and subnational governments representing more than $1.3 trillion in annual revenues.
Global MOU Endorser Statements — ITF 2025:
“Easy Volt is proud to join the Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicle (ZE-MHDV) Memorandum of Understanding, a bold initiative aligned with our pioneering role in electric mobility in Brazil. As the first company to introduce the “Charge as a Service” (CaaS) model locally, we support fleets with light, medium-duty electric vehicles, and e-buses.
This commitment is more than business—it’s our purpose. Events like the 2018 truck driver strike demonstrated the significant air quality improvements when internal combustion vehicles are off the roads, as seen in São Paulo city, where air pollution plummeted by over 50%.
By accelerating the transition to electric fleets, we create a win-win scenario: lowering TCO for fleet operators, reducing pollution for urban areas, fostering investment opportunities in Brazil’s local production, and, most importantly, combating the climate crisis to protect our planet.”
— Rodrigo de Almeida, CRO, Easy Volt Brasil
“The Mediterranean Corridor, led by Iberdrola, is the first private corridor to be included in the initiative. It is deploying charging infrastructure along the Mediterranean Corridor, the longest in Europe, and serving as a foundation for future public-private partnerships. These partnerships are essential to creating a resilient energy and transport system.”
— Isabel Gómez Bernal, Senior Analyst on Transport and Energy at Iberdrola
The drive to zero-emission trucks is key to avoid further climate damages and to protect the right to clean air. The University of Exeter, as a world leader in climate change research, is keen on supporting policies to speed up the transition, such as increasing increasingly stringent emission standards.
— Hannah Fujita, Project Manager, EEIST Project, University of Exeter
Inspiration Mobility was founded with a single imperative: accelerate fleet electrification in the US to decarbonize commercial transportation at scale. Endorsing the Global MOU is a natural extension of our core mission. As the second-largest contributor to emissions in the transportation sector, transitioning medium- and heavy-duty vehicles to ZEV is essential for combating climate change, improving air quality, and driving economic growth in a sustainable way. By supporting a 100% zero-emission future for truck and bus sales by 2040, we are helping to create a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient transportation system for all.”
—Josh Green, CEO and Founder, Inspiration Mobility
“Zero-emission trucks and buses are critical to ensuring economic and energy security, supporting industry competitiveness, growing well-paying jobs, and achieving climate and clean air goals in the face of growing global shocks and uncertainty. Strong policies, growing infrastructure, and innovative financial mechanisms are unlocking real-world zero-emission truck adoption at scale. We are moving together in the right direction—but we need to go faster.”
— Stephanie Kodish, Global Director of CALSTART’s Drive to Zero
“Decarbonising medium- and heavy-duty transport is not just a climate necessity; it is fundamentally about rethinking the movement of goods, fostering green industrial growth, and enhancing the resilience of our economies. The transition to zero-emission trucks and buses necessitates strategic investments and financing frameworks that ensure clean mobility is both accessible and scalable. The magnitude of this transition requires focused financing instruments, clear policy directives, and robust global collaboration. At the Climate & Sustainability Initiative (CSI), our commitment lies in facilitating this shift through practical research and financial solutions that bolster both national objectives and global progress.”
—Vaibhav Pratap Singh, Executive Director, Climate & Sustainability Initiative (CSI)
Zero-emission transport is vital for Latin America and the Caribbean. Climatically, it reduces our carbon footprint and builds resilience. It combats urban pollution, improving public health and our quality of life. Economically, it spurs innovation, provides efficiency, cost saving and green jobs. CMS champions this transition for a healthier, more prosperous region.
— Ignacio Rivas, Program Director, Centro de Movilidad Sostenible
“The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is proud to be the first jurisdiction in Australia to sign the Global Memorandum of Understanding on Zero-Emission Medium- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles. The ACT has committed to achieving net zero emissions by 2045. With the transport sector contributing over 65.5% of the ACT’s total emissions, reducing emissions from this sector is crucial.
We have made great progress in transitioning to zero-emissions light vehicles, and the ACT now leads the country in electric vehicle uptake per capita. This MOU extends our ambition to medium- and heavy-duty zero-emissions vehicles, as more models become available to the Australian market.
The ACT’s energy transition is a significant economic opportunity, and the clean energy sector will see strong employment growth over the next 10 years. Alongside boosting zero-emission vehicle use in both commercial and private transport, we’re also investing in a skilled workforce to meet future needs and strengthen our economy. One key initiative is our Electric Vehicle Centre of Excellence—the first of its kind in Australia—which will offer advanced training for mechanics, technicians, and manufacturers working with both light and heavy vehicles.
By collaborating with governments and industry partners, we aim to remove barriers, attract investment, and make the transition to net-zero more cost-effective and accessible for all.”
—Geoffrey Rutledge, Deputy Director-General, ACT Environment, Planning and Sustainable Development Directorate
“As the Netherlands, we are proud of what has been achieved through the Global MOU and thank CALSTART’s Drive to Zero team for the great collaboration over the past three and a half years,” said. “With today’s announcement, we warmly welcome Colombia as the new country co-lead and we are looking forward to a new successful chapter. Additionally, we welcome Montenegro and Peru as new signatory countries that have been announced today.”
— Kees van der Burg, Vice Minister for Mobility, Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Netherlands
New Global MOU Endorsers — ITF 2025
- Reckitt
- JMK Research
- Tehran Transport and Traffic Company
- Sharif Energy, Water and Environment Institute
- X UTILITY
- VEV
- JUNA Technologies GmbH
- NTCS GreenBee
- ACT Government
- Inspiration Mobility Group
- Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California Davis
- GreenCell Mobility Pvt Ltd
- UC Berkeley Law’s Center for Law, Energy and the Environment (CLEE)
- Mondo
- Centro de Movilidad Sostenible
- Trailer Dynamics GmbH
- Ofload
- Northern Corridor Transit and Transport Coordination Authority (NCTTCA)
- CIDE Chile
- Department of Mechanical Engineering University of Chile
- Easy Volt Brasil
- PINNACLE MOBILITY SOLUTIONS PVT LTD (EKA MOBILITY)
- S-Curve Economics CIC
- movE Soluções em Eletromobilidade LTDA
- L-Charge
- Cenex NL
- Climate And Sustainability Initiative
- Bus & Car Operators Confederation of India
- edenseven Ltd
- University of Exeter
- Fastcharge AS
- Zeroca B.V.
- Snowlion Consulting AS
- Vision Mechatronics Private Limited
- Institut für Energie und Umweltforschung Heidelberg gGmbH